It's A Vibrant World
by Vibrant Sound
Summary: Vibrant Sound, a musical pony with trust issues and depression, leaves his home in search of happiness, but finds much more than he ever could have expected.


**Chapter 1**

 _It's a normal day in Las Pegasus._ I thought to myself. _The sun is shining on the land and the drunks are swaggering around hitting on mares._ I snorted. I never drank alcohol, but I was just as successful at getting myself a date. Not successful. Saddened by the thought, I hurried along to my destination.

I had recently broke my violin. The bridge broke into several pieces, and I was not the best at carving wood to make a new one. I knew one pony that was, but he would charge a high price. Still, the small money I did make came from street performing with my violin. It was either pay the money or spend the rest of my miserable life begging. I decided the former was worth it in the long run.

I strolled into the shop and the door opening with a ding, alerting the shop owner that I was here. "One moment! I'll be right there!" Somepony yelled from the back. A minute later the owner emerged, saw me, and immediately rolled his eyes. "You broke it again? How long until I stop having to fix your stupid piece of wood?" I stared dryly. "Until I win the lottery and have no reason to panhandle. So probably forever. Besides, I'm like, your only customer, so you should happy for the business." This wasn't entirely true. Occasionally, ponies would come in asking for a new table or chair. Basically anything made of wood. I came the most though.

"I suppose so. So what will it be this time? Did you smash it over somepony's head again? Set it down and sit on it?" Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "Forgot to lock case. Picked up case. It fell out." He facehoofed. "You never run out of creative ways to break that thing do you?" He cleared off a space on the counter for my violin. "Nope. Never." I placed the case down and unlocked it. He opened it gingerly like it were rigged to blow.

"Oh, that's not too bad. It'll be fixed within a an hour or two." He closed the case. "30 bits." I gave him a sour look. "30? That's more expensive than when I sat on it!" The woodcarver pony smiled mischievously. "Inflation's a bitch. You want your instrument fixed or not?" I glared as I pulled the money out of my saddle bags. I wasn't really all that surprised when I stopped at 27. "I'm short. Any chance I could have a frequent buyer's discount?" I tried to make my best baby face for sarcastic emphasis. He sighed. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a nice business pony." I rolled my eyes as he took all my money.

I decided to wait outside the wood shop. I was broke and didn't have a home, so here was just as good as anyplace. Time seemed to fly as a watched ponies rush around, desperate to lose all their bits playing poker. I had considered gambling for money once. But I knew for a fact that only one person ever won at poker, and the odds of it being me were slim.

After what felt like only a few minutes, the owner of the wood shop came out. "Good as new! You just keep breaking this, ya hear. It makes me money!" I thanked him and rushed back to my usual spot where I played. I was hungry and dirt poor. not the best combination if you ask me. I needed to do what I do worst, and that is profit!

After setting up and tuning, I began to play the piece I had been working on for some time now. It was Vivaldi's _The Four Seasons._ Some ponies just trotted on by. The nerve. Others at least acknowledged my existence, but still kept going about their business. There were some that sat down and listened though. Every now and then they would throw some bits in to my case.

When I was finished, I immediately crouched down to count the bits in my case. _Only 9._ _Damn. Can't buy anything with that._

I continued playing for another few hours, until I couldn't hold the violin up any longer. I slumped over and began packing my instrument. _19 bits in a few hours? Not bad. Might be able to get me a single egg for breakfast._ I chuckled at how sad that was and set my head down to rest. No pillow, just cement. Such luxury. Despite the hard ground on which I lay, I fell asleep relatively quickly.

* * *

I woke to the sound of somepony's voice. I tried to listen to what they were saying, but all I could make out were small bits and pieces that made no sense. I groaned and got up. I looked around and saw where the voices were coming from. There were 2 ponies going through a saddle bag. My saddle bag. I growled and threw a punch into ones face. I believe they know I'm awake now. The other pony jumped back in surprise, causing my swipe at his legs to miss. Quick to recover, I ran up behind him and kicked her where the sun don't shine. He fell over with a grunt. I had gotten pretty good at combat since I was mugged almost weekly. Or at least, I was better than chumps on the street.

I quickly gathered my things and left for my next destination. The train station, where ponies from all over came and went. Of course, going to the station always gave me the thought. What if I moved on? Left Las Pegasus and moved to somewhere more kind and possibly try to make a living there. But alas, it was always to expensive and I usually wasn't one for taking big risks like that.

I strolled on in, found the closest empty bench to the entrance. I began to unpack when something caught my eye. The station as having a sale for tickets to some locations. I decided that there was nothing wrong with reading the sign. I trotted over and looked the sign up and down looking at the towns and the new prices. The cheapest one was to Appleloosa, but what really made me think was the next one up. Ponyville. I had heard of Ponyville, of course. The newest Alicorn Princess resided there. It was supposedly the central hub of all friendship and happiness. I sincerely doubted that, because from my experience, most ponies were cruel and only looked after themselves. Still, it always held the spot in my mind as the first place I would travel to if I had the money. It said on the sign it was only 20 bits instead of the usual 50. I put the idea aside and turned back to the bench and continued preparing for another free performance.

Soon, the thought came back to my head. What if I left this place? I tried to tell my brain to stop. It was bad enough that I had to see and talk to new ponies everyday. I can't imagine what a new environment would do to my socially anxious mind. It just seemed so tempting though. Kind ponies who weren't drunk all the time who might actually appreciate music. Of course, there wasn't any guarantee that any of that would be true. It's just a figment of my imagination. Hopes that would probably, just like everything else I've ever dreamed of, be crushed under societies foot.

By the end of the day, my curiosity got the better of me. I had the money, and I just couldn't stand the constant ignorance I was receiving from the residents of Las Pegasus. I walked up to the booth where they sold the tickets. An old stallion was there. No problem. I could talk to a senior. "One ticket to Ponyville please." I set the required bits down in front of him. "Your lucky, kid. The train to Ponyville is leaving in 20 minutes." He took the bits and gave me a ticket I thanked him and sat down on a bench. Twenty minutes later, I was boarding the train that would lead me to a new life.


End file.
